Nidification of Indian Birds. 273 



the larger end, where they form a faint ring. In the other 

 they are almost absent over the smaller half, but are even 

 more profuse over the other end, where they coalesce and 

 form indefinite cloudy blotches. 



There is no gloss, but the shell is fine and close though 

 rather fragile. In shape the eggs are stout little ovals, the 

 two ends being almost equal. 



This nest was taken on the 29th of April. Another found 

 on the 14th of April, 1899, contained four young just hatched. 

 This nest was like the other, but was placed amongst the 

 protecting roots of a large tree. Outwardly it measured 

 about 4 by 6 inches and the diameter of the cup was some 

 2 inches by about 125 inches deep. 



Both nests were at an altitude of between 5000 and 

 6000 feet. 



114. Cyornis sapphira. 

 Oates, F. B. lnd. ii. p. 20. 



This little Flycatcher was not uncommon in North Cachar 

 on the highest peaks to the extreme north-east, yet, though 

 I took several nests, I never obtained a male in full breeding- 

 plumage, and nearly all the specimens that I collected — 

 mostly trapped on their nests — were young males in autumn 

 plumage. 



I took no nests of this species on the ground nor did any 

 of my collectors; all were placed either in, or half in, holes 

 and hollows of tree-stumps. Where they were altogether 

 inside, the entrance was often quite exposed, but where they 

 projected at all they were always well concealed by moss, 

 lichens, ferns, or orchids. 



For the size of the bird the nest was often bulky, the 

 materials filling up hollows, sometimes eight inches across, 

 and the depth of the nest itself being sometimes as much as 

 three or four inches. 



In all cases the materials used were of the same kind, 

 principally moss, and this, in the main, consisting of long thin 

 sprays taken from the neighbouring trees, which were covered 

 with hanging moss often as much as 18 inches in length. 



SER. VIII. — VOL. VI. T 



